These jam thumbprint cookies have to be one of my favorite Christmas cookies ever. Do I say that about all the cookies? Maybe. But how could they not be my favorite with that snow-ball-like coconut coating and the little jewel-like dots jam in the center? But they’re not just pretty! These little show-stoppers are every bit as delicious as they are nice to look at. Plus, they’re SO easy, so make sure they’re on your cookie platter this year!
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What is a Thumbprint Cookie?
Thumbprint cookies are made with a rich shortbread dough that is shaped into small balls with small depressions, or “thumbprints,” in the center filled with jam or other sweet treats. The slightly salty shortbread is the perfect contrast to the sweet jam center and together they make beautiful little jewel-like additions to a cookie platter or afternoon tea.
Coconut or no Coconut?
If you’re not into coconut, you can absolutely make these thumbprint cookies without the coconut coating. Simply skip dipping the cookie in egg whites and rolling in the coconut, and continue with the rest of the directions as usual. Another great option is to roll the cookie in powdered sugar for a snow-like finish! You could even mix some cinnamon with granulated sugar and roll the cookie in that before baking, similar to snickerdoodles. Festive sprinkles would also be a fun alternative to coconut!
What Kind of Jam to Use
This is where these cookies get fun. You can use any flavor of jam you’d like, so this recipe is a great way to use up the odds and ends of jam jars in your fridge. We used a combination of raspberry, strawberry, and orange marmalade for the cookies in the photos. You can also fill them with other spreads, like lemon curd, caramel, Nutella, or even candies like Rolos or chocolate kisses.
How to Store Thumbprint cookies
Make sure to the thumbprint cookies to cool completely to room temperature before storage. Once fully cooled, keep them in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. For longer storage, the cookies can be frozen. Thaw the frozen thumbprint cookies at room temperature before enjoying.
Thumbprint Cookies
Servings 16 cookiesIngredients
- 8 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature ($1.00)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar ($0.11)
- 1 large egg, separated ($0.21)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract ($0.14)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour ($0.12)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 cup sweetened coconut ($0.83)
- 8 tsp fruit jam ($0.26)
Instructions
- Add the room-temperature butter and sugar to a bowl. Use a mixer to cream the sugar and butter together on high speed until the mixture is light in color and creamy in texture.
- Separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and mix to combine. Set the egg white aside for later.
- In a separate bowl, combine the four and salt until evenly mixed. Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl with the butter mixture, and mix on low speed until a slightly crumbly dough forms. No dry flour should remain on the bottom of the bowl.
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- When you're ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly whisk the reserved egg white until it's slightly runny. Place the shredded coconut in a separate bowl.
- Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized pieces and roll each one into a ball. Dip each ball into the egg white, then roll it around in the shredded coconut to coat. Place the coated cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
- Use the back of a round ½ tsp measuring spoon or your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each indentation with about ½ tsp jam.
- Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or just until the coconut becomes slightly golden on the edges. Allow the cookies to cool before serving.
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Equipment
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Hand Mixer
- Measuring Cups Spoons
Nutrition
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How to Make Thumbprint Cookies – Step By Step Photos
Use a mixer to cream together 8 Tbsp salted butter and ⅓ cup sugar until the mixture is light in color and creamy in texture. Separate one large egg and set the whites aside. Add the yolk and ¼ tsp vanilla extract to the butter and sugar and mix until light and creamy again.
In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup of all-purpose flour and ¼ tsp salt. Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the butter and mix on low speed until a slightly crumbly dough forms.
The dough should be just slightly crumbly, but no dry flour should remain on the bottom of the bowl. If you squeeze the dough together in your hand, it should form a cohesive ball of dough.
Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
When you’re ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized pieces. The easiest way to do this is to first divide it into four, then divide each of those pieces into four again.
Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Lightly whisk the reserved egg white until it is slightly runny. Place 1 cup of shredded coconut in a separate bowl. Dip each cookie ball into the egg white, then roll in the coconut to coat. Place the coated cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
Use the back of a round ½ tsp measuring spoon or your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
Fill each indentation with ½ tsp of your favorite jam (we used raspberry, strawberry, and orange marmalade).
Bake the thumbprint cookies in the preheated 350ºF oven for 15 minutes, or just until the coconut becomes golden brown on the edges.
Allow those beautiful little cookies to cool before serving! 😍
I am one of those who doesn’t like coconut, so I roll them in chopped nuts. Walnuts usually, or sometimes pecans.
I feel like this would also be a great way to make hamantaschen for Purim (jewish holiday) without the coconut and just shaping them more triangle!! 😝
Beth, these are amazing! Thank your Mom for me, because she makes wonderful cookies (and raised a terrific daughter).
Last year, I made your delicious chocolate molasses cookies, and this year added these Italian cookies. They are both superb. They both hit the “sweet spot” but don’t overdue that either, you can live to eat cookies another day.
I make these cookies a lot. They are easy and delicious. The recipe makes a small batch (12-15 cookies). That’s enough for us and I can always make another batch tomorrow.
Love this recipe ☺
I made 4 batches, I used the apricot pineapple jam, and the dark tart cherry by smuckers
Will definitely be making this again ☺
I was looking forward to making these-thinking the amount of ingredients it took were simple. But when I mixed it all together the dough was very very dry-I added in all the ingredients. Is there a liquid I was missing?
Hmm, all I can suggest is going back over the ingredient lists and making sure you measured everything properly. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made recipes and either misread ingredient amounts or used the wrong measuring spoon/cup without noticing until it was too late. :P
i was making these yesterday night.looking delicious and tasty
ok i like to offer both the pros and the cons when trying new recipes so here goes
the pro they are amazing very very good and easy
the con triple the batch they are that good
love this web site
if ‘triple the batch’ is the only con, i’m definitely trying these!
Just whipped up a double batch of these for Christmas. Used strawberry jam, and they turned out AMAZING! I think these are some of the only cookies I’ve made where the end product is even tastier than the dough (and that’s saying something, because the dough was sinful).
Looks yummy and easy.
Looks yummy! I wonder if I could use canned apricot instead of jam?
Mine turned out perfect! I love the salt in the cookie!!! I think most people on here are used to cookies tasting really sweet. Furthermore, I almost feel like this could be labeled a savory cookie, something you would drink with afternoon tea. Between the salt, the coconut and the sweet jam, these are a home run.
Yep, 1.25 is 1 and 1/4. I used salted butter (because that’s what I had on hand) and my dough balls were about a tablespoon or slightly smaller than a ping pong ball.
Couldn’t sleep so made them this am. Perhaps I should have used unsalted butter and maybe I made them a bit too big as mine also seem underbaked yet nicely browned though. 1.25 is 1 and 1/4 cup of flour right? I’m not sure if I should try again. Yours looked pretty.
Wow, look at me – I just made cookies that didn’t come in a roll or a tub! :D
I made it with Splenda (don’t really do sugar anymore) and thinking maybe I should’ve used UNSALTED butter ( or left out the salt – they’re a little salty to me), which is probably one of those baking rules I didn’t know about. But mmmm, so good with blueberry jam! :p
…and mine cooked all the way through – for the one that ended up with raw dough, maybe the balls were too big? I measured out and balled up 1 tbsp, to about the size of a jawbreaker. Then they got a little bigger after they cooked. But I still ate three in one sitting! :D
These are delicious cookies. This time I used 3 T of sugar instead if ⅓C. which=5⅓ T. Cutting back still gave me a perfect shortbread texture and they seem quite sweet still. I like the recipe size and they can all bake on one pan. I did get distracted and let the dough chill too long so the cookies cracked when I put the divot in. I just had to repair a few and the dough is like Playdoh, so it was fun. It just made extra work.